Sewer line construction continues in Somerset Township

June 10, 2004|By LEONA KOZUCH, Daily American Staff Writer

SOMERSET TOWNSHIP - Construction of the new sewer line extension along Cannery and Stepping Stone road is moving along and at least one portion is expected to be completed as early as Monday afternoon.

That is what officials from Somerset Township's Municipal Authority said Thursday at their monthly meeting.

"The Stepping Stone sewer project is under construction and they have started on Cannery Road and they are working their way up toward the intersection with Stepping Stone Road," said engineer John Larimer.

He added that the latest progress has implied that work should be completed later this summer.

"We had a job progress meeting last week on that and they anticipate that they will be done by the beginning of August, but it is too early to tell," he said. "We don't know how much rock they are going to find."

The design process of the Lavansville Sewer Project has begun and officials are preparing letters to be sent to property owners living in that area.

According to Aultz, 45 of the 57 letters are ready to be sent out, the remaining 12 require additional title research.

"The Lavansville Project, we are still working on that and we are getting the right-of-ways together on that," said Larimer. "We are getting the permit applications together for submission and are drawing the designs."

Other work can begin soon.

"Soil borings at the treatment plant should proceed this month," he said. "I expect that they will be ready next week to do that."

There will be about 65 new customers added to the system.

Based on cost estimates in the Act 537 plan, the Lavansville portion of the project could cost between $3.4 and $5.3 million, depending on one of three options.

The first of the options would include Coxes Creek Road and another option would include Coxes Creek, Antram and Husband roads. The final option would just be in the Lavansville area.

The Stepping Stone portion of the project is expected to cost roughly $1.5 million.

The South Somerset Borough portion (off of Water Level Road) could cost $1.1 million.

The Plank Road project is anticipated to run between $820,590 and $1.33 million.

The least expensive of the individual projects was the Husband/ Zimmerman Road project - that is expected to cost roughly $424,390.

The township also plans to have water and sewer mapping done of the Lavansville, Stepping Stone and the North Somerset areas.

The 601 Waterline Replacement project is also in the design stage and is expected to cost $1 million.

Earlier this year, a water line broke along Route 601 (North Center Avenue).

The project will include replacing the water line from Dunkin' Donuts to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) shed. The system currently operates on a six-inch line that the township shares with Somerset Borough.

The joint project will mean replacing the line with a new 16-inch pipeline.

"We are working with the Turnpike Commission to get a permit for boring under the turnpike," Larimer said.